Mystical, fascinating tale of Sultans, caliphates, and mysterious beings

The story begins with Zafira riding her horse Sukkar when suddenly she is confronted by Sarasins. Forced to flee into the Sarz forest, she is enveloped into its mystery, and is approached by an intriguing woman who seems to know everything about her. The reader senses that as the story unfolds, more and more mysteries will be revealed about the caliphates of the area, and the extensive reach of the Sultan. A fantasy that is based in part on historical fact, the graphics in the novel, especially as seen in the maps that accompany the text, are very enhancing of this tale.